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Simply by the lives we live, Christians reveal something about God to the people around us. Dr. Dan Allender shares his perspective on how understanding our own stories can help us engage with other people in a meaningful way.
DISCLAIMER: The advice discussed in this podcast episode is not a replacement for professional counseling.
Key Points from the Podcast
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Sin is an exclamation mark that there is deep unbelief and woundedness in our heart.
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In our world it is inevitable that we will both be harmed and harm others; yet God pursues us in ways that are beyond our wildest comprehension.
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Seventy percent of the Bible is story, so story is crucial to understanding God and therefore crucial for understanding ourselves.
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Our life is meant to reveal something of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.
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If we want to heal from trauma we need to get in the dirt of our story. We can’t fly over at 10,000 feet.
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Even in our deepest brokenness there can be beauty as we learn to see something of Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension in it.
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We are contradictory creatures who were made for danger, awe and wonder but long for safety, security, and comfort.
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Faith grounds us giving us confidence, whereas hope moves us into the danger of the unknown.
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Trauma can fragment our faith causing us to feel divided and separated from God and the world around us. People will often try to numb the pain and escape through drugs, alcohol, sex, social media, etc.
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Dan Allender encourages us to look at our life, our story, and consider moments that reflect shame, freedom, and power.
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Our brains are wired by God for story. We learn primarily through narrative.If you would like to start healing from emotional wounds, look back at your life and write about times when you felt alone like an orphan, out of place like a stranger, or experienced death—of a relative, a relationship, a dream—like a widow.
Bible Verses Referenced in the Podcast
Mark 9:24; Psalm 23; Acts 27; Philippians 3:3–14
Resources Mentioned in the Podcast
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Redeeming Heartache: How Past Suffering Reveals Our True Calling
by Dr. Dan Allender and Cathy Loerzel, MA
Podcast episodes in this series:
About Dan Allender
Dr. Dan Allender is a pioneer of a unique and innovative approach to trauma and abuse therapy. For over 30 years, the Allender Theory has brought healing and transformation to hundreds of thousands of lives by bridging the story of the gospel and the stories of trauma and abuse that mark so many.
In 2011, The Allender Center was founded by Dr. Dan Allender and Rebecca Allender, MA, alongside Cathy Loerzel, MA, with the support of The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology to cultivate healing and train leaders and mental health professionals to courageously engage others’ stories of harm.
Dan and his wife Becky live on Bainbridge Island, where they enjoy time with their grandchildren and their three adult children, Annie, Amanda, and Andrew. [full bio]